Jewelry Buyers of Today are Sophisticated and Knowledgeable

Who are the jewelry buyers of today? Is it women of all ages?, spouses looking for the right gift? Is it the fashion conscious person? Is it that someone looking for that unique artisan piece

Knowing the trends in the jewelry market can help you define a niche to sell to.

When you ask a jewelry sales associates these questions they will tell you the importance of recognizing the women as active jewelry consumers and how selling to them requires a different approach. They are savvy and want more for their money. They will also tell you how jewelry preferences go in cycles, and it’s important to follow cultural trends to continue selling to women successfully.

But how do these two concepts relate to each other and, more importantly, how do they affect your business? Let’s take a look at the woman consumer of today:

Women today continue to gain business confidence and financial independence. In fact, according to the Business Administration, more than half of small businesses starting today are owned by women. In the past decade, women millionaires have increased from one in 100 to one in 10.

Most women today handle the family finances and they control approximately 60 of the wealth in the United States. Women continue to volunteer and run large organizations and budgets. They have influence and decision making power.

Women as Jewelry Buyers

These finance savvy women are being more aware of their spending habits and making wiser choices. In 2008, women made or influenced 87% of all consumer spending decisions. In jewelry, women now buy 90% of all silver jewelry, 60% of all gold jewelry and 30% of all platinum. These wise jewelry buyers are staying away from low-end goods and buying fewer but higher-quality pieces.

When buying jewelry for themselves, women are eager to upgrade to platinum and higher-karat gold, but they’ve exhibited an average spending threshold of $700 for impulse items. Bracelets and earrings in platinum and higher-karat gold under this price threshold have seen the largest percentage increases in sales. Remember, however, this is an average, which means some women will easily spend more. Reports also demonstrate that they will look for that unique one of a kind artisan piece of jewelry that matches their fashion style.

In the fast pace world that women move in today, time is more precious than gold.

Women today are looking beyond just jewelry. They are looking for customer service, knowledge and business ethics.

Women today are looking to build a relationship through the personalization of products and services.

This is where determining a fashion taste, contacting her when you complete a piece of jewelry will make a difference.

Knowing their personal color palette or helping her choose earrings that complement her face are also effective tools.

The charitable, community or environmental activities your business is involved in may become an important consideration in retaining the jewelry buyer of today.

Make a Personal Statement

As the Jewelry Information Center tells us: “Women want jewelry to reflect who they are and what they have achieved.”

The female consumer is looking for products and presentations that make her feel understood as an individual.

Your jewelry should make your own personal statement and reflect your personality. The honesty of your design will attract jewelry buyers. The uniqueness of your work will stand out amongst many of the jewelry pieces being mass produced and sold today.

Connectivity and Self Identity

The need for women to play different roles in different situations has created what is being called “fragmented living.” This lifestyle change in conjunction with the loss of traditional gender roles and family support structure has created the need for connectivity.

But connectivity is more than just superficially connecting with the customer at the point of sale; it’s about connecting the customer with product knowledge and designer biographies and addressing her social or environmental concerns. It’s about connecting the dots of her fragmented life with symbols of achievement, family and spirituality.

Let the women buyers know who you are, share the story behind every piece of jewelry you design. Let them know your inspiration.

In jewelry, this desire for connectivity in conjunction with the trend toward cross-cultural influences makes itself evident in the popularity of universal spiritual symbols and meaning of gemstones.

These icons create strong multiethnic and neo-primitive statements that give allow the jewelry buyer to identify with their own origins or to identify with a “tribe” whose values they admire.

Think about incorporating into you design a variety of finishes and surface textures that symbolize the a talismanic or historical resonance and spirituality.

With a society who is on the move, the need to connect with their ancestor’s history has become important. Using f hand engraving to create family crests or an endearment on a jewel is the ultimate in personally connecting with a piece. In other words think about creating that modern heirloom.

A Coordinated Look

Jewelry buyers are looking for coordinated sets. Earrings and necklaces, or bracelets and rings interconnected by a strong designer concept and point of view. The woman of today is looking to present herself as a sophisticated consumer and connoisseur.

Cross-cultural influences have increased woman’s desire for more flexibility from jewelry.

The jewelry buyer wishes to represent herself in a more creative, non-traditional way.

Necklaces and bracelets that transform themselves and transition from day to night are highly desirable.

Body jewelry is also a new product of these merging changes, with toe rings, thumb rings, nose rings and stomachers all now requested in the realm of precious jewelry.

The Return of jewelry making materials and Other Expensive Metals

Higher-karat gold responds to the need for connectivity by symbolizing ancient ethnicity and purity. With high-karat gold making a strong comeback in the fashion world, Metals are coexisting in today’s jewelry to make a strong fashion stamen.

Color Identity

The use of color in jewelry is unlimited.

Women are blending interesting and powerful colors together.

They are learning to incorporate color into their wardrobe to make a statement.

This is where your connection to customers and knowledge of their fashion style is key to introducing new colors and styles.

Coral and turquoise have re surged in popularity, joined these days with Tahitian cultured pearls and other color combination. Non-traditional gems have piqued women

s interest. They are using briolette, beads and carved cabochons.

Today’s jewelry buyer is mixing and effectively wearing shades of sky blue, soft pink, vivid orange, acid green, yellow and periwinkle . Women are approaching color with a completely fresh perspective and new imagination. As long as the material or presentation is effective and beautiful, it will sell to today’s fashion-conscious woman.

For many people, jewelry symbolizes the fulfillment of many of our hierarchical needs that lead to happiness. Quality unique jewelry sends the world a message stating “I am successful” Jewelry also represents financial security, love and self-esteem.

When designing jewelry, think about all these elements and you will be successful.

Click here to get more design ideas and inspirations for jewelry buyers